"No, I'm not — I'm saying that the comment was. I don't know
what's in his heart, I can't speak to that whatsoever. What I'm
saying is to suggest that a person's race disqualifies them to do
their job is — that's what I'm saying," he said.

"I'm not saying what's in his heart because I don't know what is
in his heart and I don't think he feels that in his heart but I
don't think it is wise or justifiable to suggest that a person
should be disqualified from their job because of their
ethnicity."

"As far as his character goes, he isn't making that statement
because he feels like he is superior because he is white and the
judge is Mexican," Zeldin said on CNN. "I don't think he's making
that statement because internally he feels like he is of a
superior race."

He then turned the racism accusations around on the Democratic
Party.

"Quite frankly, the policies I have seen from the Democratic
Party when you're microtargeting a community and you are putting,
there are blacks together and Hispanics together and certain
economic messages and positions on issues ... with the way I
define racism, I see it a lot in policies and statements that
have taken place," Zeldin said.

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee,
has prompted a firestorm of criticism in recent days with his
attacks on US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel over his Mexican
heritage.

Trump has repeatedly said Curiel, who is presiding over two
lawsuits involving the real-estate mogul's now-defunct Trump
University, cannot be impartial because "he's a Mexican." The
brash billionaire argued Curiel's heritage is
relevant because of Trump's promise to build a wall along
the US-Mexico border if he's elected in November.